


With Love, Alexis Hooper

by InaFairyTale



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, POV First Person, Post Reichenbach, Sherlock Holmes & Molly Hooper Friendship, molly hooper family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-02
Updated: 2013-08-20
Packaged: 2017-12-22 05:00:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/909220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InaFairyTale/pseuds/InaFairyTale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My name is Alexis Hooper, I'm 15.5, I have a cousin name Molly who works with dead people, I'm currently living with Molly and last night I found a dead detective in her kitchen. Do you see where this is going cause I don't.<br/>-----------<br/>Alexis Hooper has been shipped off to London to stay with her cousin, Molly Hooper. She expects an uneventful summer but that isn't the case when she finds out her cousin helped the infamous Sherlock Holmes fake his death. Before she knows it Alexis begins getting caught in the middle of press wars, a drunk John Watson, a bittersweet love-story, her cousin's guilt, and the truth about Sherlock Holmes and all his glory. Whoever said nothing interesting happens in London owes Alexis an explanation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: January 15, 2013

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first Sherlock fanfic so I hope it's good. Also this has not been beta'd or brit-picked. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you enjoy!

**Prologue**

**January 15, 2013**

It was a cold January day when Molly Hooper unlocked her flat to find a girl around the age of 17 seated at the breakfast bar typing rapidly at the computer.

“What are you doing here?” Molly hung her tan coat and messenger purse on the wooden rack. Strolling to the kitchen she started boiling some water for tea and when said to the girl, “I thought you were staying after. Is everything all right?”

The girl peered up from her laptop and pushed her light golden brown waves back before speaking. “Art club was canceled due to Ms. Green coming down with the flu. It sucks but it gives me time to work on my letter.”

“Letter?” Molly looked up at her with her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. “What letter?”

“The letter for my old writing teacher. I told you about it, right?” She seemed genuinely confused for they both knew Molly wouldn’t just forget something like that.

“No, you never mentioned any letter.” Molly replied, pulling out some mugs from the cabinet.

“Oh.” The girl paused for a second before continuing. “Well my old writing teacher, Miss Jones, sent me an email a few weeks ago asking me about if everything was okay and whatnot. She said she saw the news report and found the articles I wrote all those months ago. She said I was really good and she thinks I should write up everything and maybe publish it and-“

“Alexis, if you’re going to publish it you’re going to have to check with Sherlock.” Molly interrupted swiftly. “Sorry, go on.”

“Don’t worry, I know that bit. Anyway, I thought about it and decided I would write it all down and send it to her. She was my favorite teacher back in Liverpool and she use to help me all the time with my writing so I guess if she’s interested I should tell her.” The girl, Alexis, shrugged. “Besides it’ll make a good story one day for my kids and grandkids. You know, if I ever have any.”

Molly chuckled. “You’re only 17. You have time.”

Alexis smiled at her. “I guess you’re right, cuz. However,” she paused dramatically and took a deep breath before continuing. “ I don’t have time to finish this letter. I want to get it to her ASAP so I need total concentration.”

Molly laughed at this and held her hands up in defense. “All right, I get it. I’ll just go read a book or something. I’m sure Toby want’s to cuddle.”

Alexis gave her a mischievous grin. “You better be careful with Toby or your boyfriend’s gonna get jealous.”

Molly blushed at Alexis’ remark before saying, “Alexis…”

“All right, I’m working!”

Molly laughed, took a seat on the maroon couch and began to read her new romance book while Alexis typed in the background. With a small smile she thought to herself, _some things never change._


	2. July 6, 2011

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexis arrives at Molly's flat and begins to take everything in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am begining to upload the rewrites of the chapters. I have the first few so I will upload them and delete the other chapters. Thanks for sticking with me on this!! Also note that this has not been beta'd or brit-picked. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 1**

**July 6, 2011**

Alexis Hooper was only 15 when she first began to regret her life choices. At least, the ones involving her telling her gym teacher about the girls who tried to take her picture in the locker room and when she believed attempting to run away from home in the middle of the night was a good idea. These two choices, to her, really summed up the past six months of her life in Liverpool, England.

Molly Hooper was 31 when she received a phone call from her Aunt Amelia one evening where she learned about her younger cousins bullying (something Molly could sadly relate to) and runaway attempt. This was also when her aunt mentioned the idea of having Alexis spend the rest of the summer in London, where Molly currently resided. At first, Molly tried to decline the prospecting idea but after some pleading she eventually agreed. Molly Hooper was, however, the woman who cared and it’d really shown the past few weeks prior to her aunt’s idea.

The two cousins had a 16 year age difference and with Molly’s job at the morgue and Alexis’ teenage rebellion it wasn’t too surprising the cousins didn’t have much in the way of common ground. Still, the day Alexis Hooper arrived at the train station in London clutching one of Molly’s favorite childhood books things began to look up for their relationship. Of course, Molly didn’t even see Alexis until 10 minutes after her train arrived when she was paged to the front desk. Apparently floral clothing and light-chocolate hair blended in pretty easily in a crowded train station. Molly started flustering up immediately and apologized a numerous amount of times before the incident was forgotten.

(Alexis swears up and down Molly was apologizing more than usual and she thinks it’s because Molly just wanted to hear the words flow out of her mouth, if that makes any sense at all.)

The taxi ride to Molly’s flat was spent awkwardly as they talked about everyday things (“How’s the weather in Liverpool?” “Same here: rainy.”) and treaded on topics that weren’t to be treaded on (“Did you hear about that detective guy? I heard he was a fraud.” “Yeah, that’s what everyone’s saying…”).

Molly’s flat was what Alexis would describe as basic, homey, and totally Molly. There were two rooms, one bath, a kitchen and a living room. The place opened up in the corner of the  living room where there was a maroon couch, two black wooden side tables, a matching coffee table and to the far left a small wooden tables that could fit more than a few people. To the right there was small kitchen that contained the basics; a stove, oven, dishwasher, a fridge, and a little breakfast bar that was the only thing separating the kitchen from the living room. Directly across from the entrance there was a little hallway that led to the two rooms with a bathroom separating them. Alexis wasn’t allowed to see Molly’s but was instead led to her room almost as soon as she entered the flat. The room had a double bed with a lightly-colored floral bedspread, a little desk, a small closet and a dresser. To Alexis, it was perfect.

Their first evening together was spent with the two tiptoeing around each other as they each tried to be as polite as ever. Neither of them wanted to mess up and come off as rude or mean. This was, as some called it, the Hooper curse inherited from the two’s fathers. They ordered take-out before Alexis retreated into her room. Alexis messed around on her laptop for a while before hearing Molly laughing. Alexis snuck into the living room where she found her older cousin curled up in PJs, holding a cat to her chest, and watching a rom-com.

It didn’t take more than a second for Molly to notice her cousin’s presence and she muted the movie. “Is it too loud?” she asked softly, pushing her hair out of her face.

“No,” Alexis shook her head rapidly. “No, no. It’s just.” She began to rock back and forth on her heels. “I really like this movie.”

Molly gave her a smile before asking, “Would you like to watch?”

Alexis nodded and Molly scooted over a bit so Alexis would have some space. The two brunette cousins spent the next hour laughing and grinning as they found their common ground.

“What’s your cat’s name?” Alexis asked with a yawn after the movie was finished.

“Toby.” Molly replied, setting her cat on the ground.

“Like the character from Winter’s Dream?” Alexis looked at Molly expectantly.

“Yeah. You’ve read it?”

“Oh, I love it.” Alexis grinned and Molly echoed her.

A few minutes later, after they’d finished getting ready for bed, Alexis poked her head out of her room and said to her cousin, “I have a good feeling about this summer. I’m talking about peace, relaxation, and rom-coms. What could possibly go wrong?”

Molly frowned as Alexis closed her door. Climbing into bed, Molly couldn’t help but think of all the things that could go wrong and each and every one of them related to a dark-haired man the world believed to be dead.

The thing was this man was still alive.                             

 


	3. July 7, 2011

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexis begins to settle into her new life with something odd happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note that this has not been beta'd or brit-picked. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you enjoy! Also if you like it please leave a kudos or comment. Thanks!!

**Chapter 2**

**July 7, 2011**

Alexis Hooper spent her first full day in London skyping with her only friend, a girl by the name of  Brianna Banks who lives in Scotland.

It was about an hour after Molly left for work when Alexis received the video request. She answered it (of course) and found a ginger girl around her age peering at her with wide brown eyes.

“How are you?” she asked enthusiastically.

“I’m fine,” was Alexis’ bland response and all it took was a raise of an eyebrow from her friend to get another response out of her. “Well, I’m in London but-”

“London? Oh my god, you’re so lucky! I would kill to go to London!” Brianna cried out dramatically and Alexis couldn’t help but smile.

“I guess but it’s not really that big of a deal.” She shrugged it off sheepishly.

“Not a big deal? Alexis, there’s so much to actually do in London!”

Alexis sighed. “Not when you’re 15 and you don’t have a car.”

“You can buy one.” Brianna pointed out.

“Well, I don’t have my license either.”

“Eh,” she shrugged. “A minor complication.”

“What can I do without a car?”

“Uh,” she glared at her friend as if it was obvious. “Meet a boy, save a life, chase down a killer, work for the queen, kick ass, get a job, anything!!”

Alexis rolled her eyes. “But I don’t have a car!”

Brianna just stared at her friend. “Did you not just hear a word I said?”

Alexis smiled and the two continued to talk for an hour before she logged off and switched on the telley. 

That evening, Molly and Alexis hung around the house before heading to bed at around 11. Of course, this was not before Alexis asked Molly if she could tagalong with her to her work at the morgue the next day. Molly agreed and they went to bed.

Around midnight Alexis (who still hadn’t fallen asleep) saw a light flicker on in the hallway and saw the shadow of her cousin making her way to the living room. Confused and concerned, Alexis followed her and found Molly sitting on the couch crying.

Alexis gingerly took a seat next to her and let her cousins head rest on her shoulders. Alexis wondered why she was crying and was given a partial answer when she heard Molly mutter “John” before continuing to bawl. They stayed like that for an hour before quietly retreating to their separate rooms, both exhausted.

Still, Alexis couldn’t help but wonder who John was and why he was worth her cousin’s tears. 


	4. July 8, 2011

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexis learns of Sherlock Holmes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note that this has not been beta'd or brit-picked. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 3**

**July 8, 2011**

Alexis Hooper first learned about her cousin’s connection to Sherlock Holmes two days after arriving in London from Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade.

The day after what Alexis dubbed Molly’s ‘cry-fest’, Alexis tagged along with Molly to her work at the morgue of a local hospital. Most of the day was spent with Alexis either following Molly around or sitting in the waiting room area. It wasn’t until after lunch that things got interesting on a whole new level.

A man by the name of Greg Lestrade showed up for some papers about a victim for a case, which Alexis didn’t think much of. It wasn’t until Molly left the room that things took a turn.

“So you’re Molly’s cousin?” Lestrade asked, stuffing his hands in his pants. He seemed nervous about something and his hazel eyes darted around the room.

Alexis nodded and took it in. He was an older man, in his 40s, with grey hair and tan skin. He seemed nice enough though she couldn’t help but wonder why he was the wonder collecting the papers. Don’t they have interns for that kind of stuff?

“Well,” he started, “its good you’re staying with her. God know she needs it after…” his words faltered as Alexis looked up at him with her eyebrows wrinkled in confusion.

“After what?” she questioned.

“She didn’t tell you?” he seemed surprised.

“Tell me what?” Alexis was getting impatient. Something was up with her cousin and she couldn’t help but wonder if it had to do with that John fellow Molly muttered the night before.

“Well, um, it’s not really my place to tell you but I guess you should know.” He looked up and did a 360 scan of the room before continuing. “A little less than a month ago this guy, Sherlock Holmes, Molly, uh, fancied I guess, killed himself. I knew him pretty well and it’s been hard. He’s kind of why I’m on probation.”

Alexis started at him before it clicked. Sherlock Holmes, the so called ‘consulting detective’ was found a fake and for some reason he committed suicide right off…oh. It occurred to her that less than a month ago the man jumped off the building she was currently in.

“Was he really a fake?” she whispered before biting her bottom lip. “I mean, I know it’s not my place to ask but was he?”

Lestrade looked at her gravely before continuing. “Honestly, I don’t know. I mean, I’ve seen him deduce person after person so that much I can tell you is true. The cases, I would like to think he was honestly solving them but the evidence is stacked up against him.”

Alexis nodded opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by Molly coming back in with the papers allowing Lestrade to leave before any more questions were asked.

That evening Alexis settled down on her bed with her laptop in her lap and began to look up the man known as the fraud. She found his blog, some articles, a news report, and loads of forums discussing his demise. The rumors circling Sherlock Holmes were less about his death and more about his relationship with his flat mate and man called John Watson.

 _Why was Molly crying over this guy?_ Alexis wondered as she continued her research. _And why is Lestrade on probation?_

**  
**


	5. July 9, 2011

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock Holmes makes an unexpected appearance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a quick note that this has not been beta'd or brit-picked. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you enjoy! Also I made a fan trailer for this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hpm9Mko_lw. Enjoy

**Chapter 4**

**July 9, 2011**

Alexis Hooper was woken up by the sound of footsteps. Her mind instantly went for the worst before she remembered Molly's possible habit for midnight cry-fests. She sighed and turned over to face her digital clock. It read 2:00 AM and Alexis couldn't help but let out a groan.  _Another late night I guess,_ she thought to herself as she slung herself out of her bed.

Shuffling into the hallway with her arms crossed, Alexis bit her bottom lip. She had tried to mentally prepare herself for Molly's tears but there wasn't much she could do. For starters, she didn't even fully understand why her cousin was crying. She got the whole 'the guy I like killed himself' but why was she crying over his (possibly gay) flat-mate. Were those two in a relationship or something?

Alexis took notice of the light on in the kitchen as she stepped into the living room. She was expecting to find Molly heating up some milk, tea or something along those lines while tears streamed down her face. She did not, however, expect to find a tall man with his back to her who had short ginger hair and donned an oversized black coat. Alexis could feel her entire body tense up, her heart pound in her chest, and her breaths coming in quick spurts.

It seemed to take the man a moment to notice her presence in the room and when he turned around he looked almost surprised. Now Alexis was able to get a good look at his face and that's where, according to Alexis, all hell broke loose.

His dark brown eyes, almost black, contrasted with his pale skin despite the freckles painted on his cheeks. He had multiple cuts running down the side of his face and a black eye. The man, despite his cuts and disguise, could not hide his most recognizable feature from a girl who spent about an hour researching him.

Alexis Hooper was staring at the Consulting Detective himself.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sherlock Holmes was a man with a plan. At least, most of the time. This night was a night where he had an agenda. He would sneak into Molly's flat (she really needed to change the locks on her door; they were far too easy to pick), get his hands on a first-aid kit and be gone long before dawn. However, his plan never included a brunette girl who looked much younger than she actually was.

Sherlock Holmes had a general idea of how the girl would react. Well, to be honest he had a few ideas. She would either freeze up and be unable to move or scream (which would be a bit good for Sherlock. He didn't need some paranoid neighbors to hear a scream in the middle of the night and come running) or begin screaming bloody murder (which would not be good for Sherlock). There was also the chance she'd go and get Molly which wouldn't be very helpful if he was an actual burglar.

The girl's reaction was a tad bit different than what Sherlock expected. Sure, he predicted she would run and get Molly but he wasn't expecting her to chuck the nearest object (one of Molly's hardback romance novels) at him. However, she didn't even wait to see if it hit Sherlock before she sprinted off to Molly's room (spoiler alert: Sherlock caught it in his hand).

With a small smile on his face, Sherlock flipped the book over and gave it a quick glance over. It wouldn't be long before the girl came back with Molly in tow and by now Sherlock was use to waiting.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Molly Hooper was dreaming of a dead man by the name of Asa Opus when she felt the first shake. She groaned and swatted at what she hoped was her cat Toby. It took a few more shakes before Molly remembered Toby was currently staying at her friend's house for a few days while Alexis settled in.

Alexis… that's must be whose shaking her.  _Well,_ Molly thought selfishly _. She's 15 so she can handle whatever it is herself._ And with that she promptly turned over and continued to ignore her cousin

"Molly," she heard her cousin whisper in a petrified voice. "There's a dead man in the living room."

Molly groaned. "Not this dream again."

There was silence for a moment from Alexis before she whispered again, a little louder than before. "Sherlock Holmes is in the kitchen."

Ah shit.

Molly's eyes flew open and she leaped out of her bed. Of all the times he had to randomly break in for tea it had to be when her little cousin was staying with her. Even more so, she didn't even know of Molly's friendship with Sherlock (if that's what you'd call it). Now he was in her kitchen, Alexis was terrified, and all Molly wanted to do was sleep.

Barging through the entrance, Molly took one look at Sherlock before muttering something under her breath. Sherlock was injured and holding a mug in his hand.

"I'm changing my locks tomorrow," she mumbled as she strolled into the kitchen and began opening drawers in search of her first-aid kit.

"No need to. I'll just pick them anyway," Sherlock replied and grimaced as a wave of pain swept through his face.

"Then next time you should knock," Molly grumbled as she pulled the kit out and began to riffle through the supplies. She paused before going to the freeze to pull out an icepack.

"No point. You won't hear me," Sherlock sighed and eyed the icepack suspiciously. "Absolutely not."

"Sherlock…" she started as she held the icepack up. He groaned but took it and held it to his eye. "Thank you," she smiled.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The two's head snapped toward where Alexis stood in her nighty, her eyes wide in fear and confusion.

"Cause all I see is…is a dead man standing in my cousin's kitchen. Who are you?" she stammered out.

"Isn't it obvious?" Sherlock scoffed.

"I mean, I know who you are but I…I don't get it. You're dead. Are you a ghost or something?"

"Straight to the point," he muttered. "As you can tell I'm not dead. Now then," he leaned over the breakfast bar, "who are you?"

Alexis straightened herself up before replying. "I am Alexis Hooper. I am Molly's cousin. Now, why aren't you dead?"

"Because I didn't wish to die," he replied bluntly.

She faltered. "I mean… I guess that makes sense. But you jumped off a building?"

"Fell."

"What?"

He sighed. "I didn't jump I fell. There happens to be a difference."

She stared at him her mouth hanging open. Molly's eyes fell on the ground as she found herself in an uncomfortable position. Who does she defend?

Alexis continued to stare at him before promptly shutting her mouth. "I guess…I mean I would think….err, say that makes sense." She rocked back and forth on her heels. She gave a quick cough before continuing. "I guess that means you aren't a, um, fake."

Sherlock scoffed. "A fake? Whatever gave you the idea?"

She blinked. "Well, that's what all the newspapers say."

"The papers are wrong." He replied dryly.

"Well how the hell am I supposed to know that?" Alexis cried out, running her hand through her hair.

 _She's getting upset,_ Molly worriedly thought.

She continued to glower at him. "But what about Richard Br-"

"Moriarty" He interrupted her. She gawked at him.

"What?"

"His name is Moriarty not Richard Brook. That was a fake alias he used to frame me. Naturally I wouldn't expect you to know that." He seemed to be trying to get her all riled up.

She stared at him rather exasperated before saying what Molly wasn't expecting to hear. "You're right." She nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't know that 'cause I know nothing about you." She looked up at him with curiosity scribble across her face. "Enlighten me. How are you not dead?"

He blinked twice before strolling over to Alexis. "Why should I?"

She looked him dead in the eyes and spoke slowly and seriously. "Because I don't know anything about you and now you're standing in front of me."

He seemed to just stare at her for a good moment before making his way toward the door. "Well you're smart, I'll give you that. However I am not in the mood for stories." Buttoning up his coat and snatching up his hat from the coatrack he gave it a tip toward Molly. "Goodnight Molly Hooper." He leaned in to open the door when Molly spoke.

"Where are you going? When will you be back?" She had a worried look in her eyes and her body tensed up.

"I'm going after his web. Moriarty's web. I don't know when I'll be back but I'll be sure to give you a heads up." He opened up the door before turning to Molly and Alexis. "I expect Mycroft will turn up soon now that you have a guest with you. Goodnight." And then he was gone.

"Like a ghost," Alexis whispered as soon as the door was closed and Molly nodded in agreement. It seemed the adrenaline of the situation had left Alexis and know she was numb with shock, confusion, and worry.

"You can't tell anyone." Molly's soft voice echoed through the room.

Alexis nodded.

"You don't understand. I mean it. No matter how hard or how," she sniffed and paused before continuing. "Upsetting you can't tell anyone."

"Why would it be upsetting?"

Molly closed her eyes and held her head in her hands for a brief moment before looking up. "Because I…I had to go to his funeral and everyone was there and crying because he was gone and they missed him and I came home to find him on my couch and…and all I wanted to do was scream and cry and yell at him but I can't and," she took a shaky breath. "And when you see, if you see, what his death has done to some people you'll wish you were just as… as, um, ignorant as the rest of the country." Molly let out a sob. "She kept going on about fingers and John didn't say a word and he left early and Greg tried to be strong and…and I don't want to know!" Molly broke down.

For the past few weeks Molly Hooper, one of the most caring people you will meet, was keeping a deadly and guilty secret. She knew Sherlock was alive but she had to watch the people she (and Sherlock) cared about suffer. John Watson never answers his phone when she calls him and apparently Greg had to drag him out of a bar because he got in a fight with the manager when he called Sherlock a psychopath. Ms. Hudson spent the funeral crying and even went to comfort Molly as she cried (of course her crying was for the knowledge and guilt of Sherlock's survival and not his demise). It was a hell of a burden, to put it lightly.

Sniffling, Molly gained her composer, stood up and turned to Alexis and spoke hard and soft, "This is what it does to you."

And with that Molly Hooper went to get some well-deserved sleep.


End file.
